Beginning of Essay
In very simple terms, A Modest Proposal is a satire of the social and economic events in Ireland. It was written in the early eighteenth century in an attempt to shame England and to shock Ireland. Jonathan Swift lived in an Ireland which was a colony, political ....

Middle of Essay
.... to admit a long continuance in salt, although perhaps I could name a country, which would be glad to eat up our whole nation without it." This writing also gives equal responsibility to the Irish for their plight. Swift was extremely enraged at the passivity of the Irish people. It was an attempt to shock the Irish out of their lethargic state. Swift had made numerous proposals to the Irish Parliament which were ignored. These proposals included the taxing of absentee landlords, to encourage the Irish industries and to improve the land. A Modest Proposal is a parody of Swift's own serious proposals. "But, as to myself, having been wea ....